from Lisa in Green Bay, WI:
#44
How can I reduce the energy use in my home?
There are a variety of things you can do to reduce the energy use in your home.
There are a variety of things you can do to reduce the energy use in your home. Consider upgrading older appliances and replacing them with ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and electronics. If upgrading is not an option, make sure you are operating that equipment as efficiently as possible. For example, wash clothes in cold water, turn down the brightness on your TV and instead of leaving it on standby be sure to turn it all the way off when not in use. You should also make sure your energy saving settings are enabled on your home computer and that you turn that off too, when it is not in use. Turn off unneeded lights and be sure you use energy efficient, ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs where ever possible.
You can also save by letting dishes air-dry in the dishwasher without using the heat setting and hanging clothes out to dry when weather permits. Fixing air leaks around windows doors will save on heating bills in the winter and air conditioning costs in the summer as will drawing the shades in the summer and taking advantage of the heat from the sun in the winter. You can save even more by turning down your water heater so that the temperature is only as hot as you need it and by adjusting your thermostat just a few degrees in the winter when you are asleep and away and by turning it up a few degrees in the summer. You can also get more in-depth into how your home is using, or wasting, energy by having a thorough home energy evaluation conducted by a professional trained through Focus on Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program.